Electronic components such as semiconductors are widely used in many products. These components are being miniaturized for high-density semiconductor devices. However, competing with this need for smaller dimensions is the increasing need for functionality that the consumers of semiconductor devices desire. This increase in functionality can affect the size and complexity of the semiconductors and the number of semiconductors per module.
For example, a transmitter-receiver or transceiver installed on a computer, is a device that both transmits and receives analog or digital signals. The basic element of a transceiver is an inductor which is a ferrite routed with insulated conducting metal wires. Current manufacturing technology of transceivers are based on manual wiring of ferrite rings due to the limitation of wiring machines threading through a small ferrite ring. Such manual wiring can limit the ability to miniaturize a transceiver and can result in substantial manufacturing costs.
In electronic components such as transceivers, a thermal coefficient of expansion (TCE) mismatch between interfaces of different materials such as ferrite, potting materials, and substrates becomes serious in particular with the larger integrated circuit (IC) elements, when working with a high TCE, when working with low-cost organic substrates, and/or when working with fine circuitry. Due to the TCE mismatch, temperature cycling excursions generate thermo-mechanical stresses to the interfaces of material between ferrites, organic potting materials, organic substrates, and metal vias. These stresses can degrade a product.
Attempts to embed ferrites in electronic components have been made with epoxy laminates and/or potting materials having rigid molecular structures such as high aramid content. Such laminates and materials have stiffness after being cured which can result in excessive stress. The excessive stress can greatly malfunction ferrites and cause failure modes of cracking and breakage of electronic components. Also, known materials do not flow enough to fill tall structures and can trap air bubbles causing devices to crack during solder reflow cycles.
Potting for electronic components not suffering from the above drawbacks would be desirable in the art.